Order of the Phoenix Through the Eyes of Another
by Jillvalentine44
Summary: There's a new student at Hogwarts. She's McGonagall's niece and she's about to get mixed up in the events surrounding the Order of the Phoenix. But her arrival causes some things to happen differently. Ready to add some style to Hogwarts?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own nor am I in any way affiliated or even remotely involved with anyone who has anything to do with Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, or anything else that has to do with Harry Potter. I am just a fan-girl who writes fan fiction! There may be a few lines from the book in my fic, considering it's Order of the Phoenix from a different point of view, but I mean it only to help the story! Without them, it would be confusing! So don't sue me! Enjoy!  
  
The Sorting Hat gleefully sang its new "sorting song" as the first years ganged up in front of the stairs in the Great Hall.  
'I feel like an idiot.' Crystal thought as she squeezed in between some nervous first years that looked up at her uneasily, as she towered above them. 'I'm fifteen, not ten.' she looked around the hall. 'Ew( these uniforms are disgusting. Where's the Donna Karan? Gucci? Tommy? Please, give me some style! If it weren't for Auntie McGonagall(' she sighed and the hat finished its song. She clapped boredly and scanned the hall once more. Her eyes fell upon a very good looking fifth year boy with blond hair who was in Slytherin. Upon spotting him, she waved happily, and he waved back.  
"Say," Ron said to Harry as he pointed to Crystal across the hall, "what do you s'pose that girl's doing there? She doesn't look like a first year."  
"Who?" Harry asked, craning his neck around to see who Ron was talking about. And he saw her. She had long shiny brown hair and was waving to someone at the other side of the hall. She looked over in the direction of the Gryffindor table and Harry saw that she was very pretty. "I dunno. Never seen her before."  
"Maybe she's new." Hermione stated. "Unless we've got another half- giant on our hands."  
"Yeah." Ron answered absently. "I hope she gets into our house!" he said hopefully. Harry laughed, but Hermione rolled her eyes.  
After a long wait, and a long session of Crystal studying her nails and pawing her hair, Professor McGonagall finally got to her.  
"Summers, Crystal." she called.  
"Ooh, that's me!" Crystal said, carefully pushing her way through the first years. She walked toward the stool on which the students sat to be sorted, but looked up at the staff table. "Oh, hey, Dumbledore!" she waved to him. He gave a tiny, polite wave and she cheerfully sat down on the stool. McGonagall moved to put the hat on her head. "Ooh, retro! So this school does have a little style!" she said happily. The hat was placed on her head.  
"Hm(" the hat mumbled. "Well, you seem to have many different qualities( I suppose I could put you in( Gryffindor!" The Great Hall burst into claps and cheers, primarily from the Gryffindor boys. Crystal hopped off the stool, gave a fleeting goodbye wave to Dumbledore and McGonagall and took a seat at the Gryffindor table next to Ron.  
"Hi." she greeted him as she smoothed out her skirt. "I'm Crystal. New here."  
"H-hi." Ron stuttered, rather taken aback that she was so quick to speak. "I'm Ron."  
"Hi, Crystal." Hermione greeted in a friendly tone. "I'm Hermione."  
"Hi! Nice to meet you!" Crystal said cheerfully. She looked at Harry as it seemed he fit in with Ron and Hermione.  
"Oh, I'm Harry." he quickly added.  
"Oh, Harry Potter, then?" she asked casually.  
Harry had fully expected her to glance up at his forehead as everyone who meets him does, but she did not. He nodded.  
"Yeah, I've heard a lot about you." she continued unconcernedly. "From my aunt."  
"Your aunt?" Harry asked.  
"Mm hm." she nodded. "Minerva McGonagall. She's my aunt." Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged glances.  
"So, where are you from?" Hermione asked, trying to hide her surprise.  
"New York." Crystal answered. "I was in an American Witchcraft and Wizardry School, but( it's kind of a long story. I just( couldn't go back home. My parents are a nightmare. Anyway, they did give me permission to come to school here. I'm boarding with McGonagall out of school, as it is. They'd look for any excuse to shove me off on someone else. But, anyway, how's Hogwarts? Is it fun?"  
"Yeah, it's pretty cool." Ron answered. "'specially if you like Quidditch. Do you?"  
"Oh, yes! I was on the team at my old school!" she said hopefully. "Ooh, I hope I can get a spot on this team!"  
"What position?" Harry asked.  
"Seeker!" she cheerfully answered.  
"Oh, really?" Hermione asked, interested. "Well, Harry has that position on the Gryffindor team("  
"Oh, well, perhaps I can try for a Chaser." Crystal said, non- dispirited. "I'm good at that too! I'll have to see, though( This is our O.W.L. year and I don't want to fall even the least bit behind!" Hermione gave an approving nod. "With the career I want to pursue, I must get top grades!"  
"What career is that?" Harry asked. They all figured upon first impression that she would want to be a clothing designer or something to do with looks, something that didn't need very high marks.  
"Oh, an Auror." she said cheerfully.  
"Us too!" Ron added, gesturing to himself and Harry, very glad that they had something in common.  
"Really?" she asked happily. "That's awesome!" Dumbledore made a short speech and food started to appear on their plates. "Ooh, this is cool." she said, impressed and put a small amount of a few different kind of foods on her plate. She began eating and became engrossed in the Great Hall; looking around and surveying her new habitat. She came back to reality and realized that Nearly Headless Nick had been talking to Ron, Harry, and Hermione.  
"(And it wants all the houses to be friends?" Harry asked referring to the Sorting Hat and its song. He glared at the Slytherin table. "Fat chance."  
"Well, why not?" Crystal asked innocently, but was shot down by looks of disgust from Harry, Ron, and Hermione.  
"Us be friends with Slytherin?" Harry gaped. "I know you haven't been here for long, but you may as well learn now that all the Slytherins are awful people."  
"Oh, no. Not all of them." Crystal said with big innocent eyes.  
"Yes, all of them." Ron chuckled.  
"Well, not Draco." Crystal said. Harry choked on his potatoes and Hermione spit some of her drink back into her cup.  
"Wh-whaddo you mean 'not Draco?'" Harry asked, swallowing the remnants of potato in his mouth.  
"He's very nice." Crystal said in her usual cheerful tone.  
"Well, you haven't known him long enough." Ron assured. "Once you get to know him, he's really a bloody--"  
"Oh, no, I've known him for weeks." Crystal said. "I met him over the summer. He's my boyfriend, actually." Ron's heart sank, Harry felt disgusted, and Hermione felt violated.  
"Ew." Hermione stated simply, not actually wanting that to slip out.  
"Well, he's nice to me." Crystal added. "Anyway, how can you guys stand these uniforms? They're so( identical( Must we wear them all the time?"  
"Yes(" Ron said, still disappointed in what he had heard.  
"That's too bad." Crystal said. "Well, I'll just have to make a few adjustments(" But before they could ask what she meant by 'adjustments,' Dumbledore stood up and spoke. Crystal paid undivided attention to him as he spoke about Hogwarts common knowledge and other things. She heard Ron, Harry, and Hermione whispering about something a few times, but was too full of respect and curiosity about her new school, that she did not pay them any attention. After Dumbledore finished his speech, they all got up. Ron and Hermione, being prefects, ushered the first years upstairs, leaving Harry and Crystal in the Great Hall.  
"Oh, I have to go talk to McGonagall." Crystal informed Harry. "Nice meeting you. See you later, okay?" Harry nodded and Crystal departed. She made her way over to McGonagall at the staff table and talked to her about Hogwarts stuff. They stood at the far left end of the table, out of the way.  
"(And stick to the dress code, Crystal," McGonagall rigidly told her. "I know that's a hard one for you."  
"I'm just too fashionable for my own good." Crystal dismissed.  
"Good evening, Minerva." said a cold, deep voice behind Crystal. She turned around and saw a tall man with greasy black hair and pale skin.  
"Good evening, Severus." McGonagall greeted. Crystal looked up inquiringly at McGonagall. "Oh," she hesitated. "This is my niece, Crystal Summers, she's come here from Avadagard's School in New York." He raised an eyebrow. "She didn't get kicked out, if that's what you're thinking." McGonagall rushed, and, clearly, it was what he was thinking. "Family issues. Anyway, Crystal, this is Professor Snape, the Potions teacher."  
"Oh, really?" Crystal said cheerfully. "Nice to meet you!" she stuck out her hand and Snape reluctantly shook it. "Potions is one of my favorite subjects!" she beamed. "I want you to know," she assured, "that I received the highest marks in my previous Potions classes. And I look forward to my first Potions class here! I heard at my other school that Hogwarts has one of the best Potions programs and teachers!" Snape looked rather proud to hear this from a Gryffindor; especially one that he had analyzed upon sight to care more for her looks than her schoolwork, but he was apparently incorrect. "I certainly hope that I am up to par on Potions, considering that I have come from another school..." she sincerely looked worried.  
"Oh, I am sure you will do fine." Snape assured, flattered, but still not willing to throw in an actual friendly word to a Gryffindor.  
"Excuse me for a moment." McGonagall said as she spotted someone she needed to talk to and left them.  
"What is it that we are to learn first in your class this year?" Crystal asked Snape.  
"The Draught of Peace." Snape answered. "It is likely to come up in your O.W.L.s."  
"Oh?" Crystal asked. "Well, I've never tried making one before, but I've read about them." Just then, Draco Malfoy made his way up to them. "Oh, hi, Draco!" she greeted cheerfully.  
"Hey, Crystal," he said, and then looking at Snape, "Professor Snape."  
"Draco." Snape greeted. "Nice summer, I hope?"  
"Yes, very." he answered. "And you?"  
"The same." Snape replied.  
"So I see you've met Crystal here." Draco continued. "Really great girl, even if she is a Gryffindor." Crystal smiled and attached herself onto Draco's arm. "You can approve of her, she's not like Granger and that lot."  
"That is a relief." Snape replied. "And so interested in Potions. Shame she's not in Slytherin."  
"I think I'll like Gryffindor." she added. "Everyone seems very nice!"  
"Professor Snape is the Head of Slytherin, Crystal." Draco said.  
"Oh." she felt panicked for a moment. "Well, I'm sure Slytherin is very nice too. I must become acclimated to my surroundings, you know!"  
Draco glanced around at the empty hall. "We'd best be off to bed, then."  
"Oh, yes, I suppose so." Crystal said. "Nice meeting you, Professor." Snape nodded and Crystal and Draco traipsed off out of the Great Hall. Once at the foot of the marble staircase, they stopped. "Well, Professor Snape certainly is a nice man."  
"I think you'll find that knowing the right people can be immensely helpful here." Draco said. "Knowing me will put you on the good side of Snape." Crystal didn't really know what he meant by all of that, but smiled anyhow. She gave him a kiss and made her way up the stairs as Draco departed for the Slytherin Common Room. She suddenly realized that she didn't know where she was going. She saw a brown haired boy trudging up the stairs a flight up.  
"Oh, excuse me!" she called to him. "Excuse me!" she hurried up the stairs to him. "Hi, I'm Crystal. I'm new here. I'm in Gryffindor, but I don't know where the Common Room is since I'm, well, new."  
"Oh, it's up this way." the boy replied, slightly uneasily. "I'm Neville."  
"Hi. What year are you?" she asked curiously as they climbed the stairs.  
"Fifth. You?"  
"Fifth too!" she replied happily. "That's cool. Hey, what's that?"  
"Oh, this is a Mimbulus mimbletonia. It's a sort of cactus. They're really interesting..." he trailed off, thinking he should shut up and that he was just sounding stupid beaming over a plant.  
"Oh, wow! Really?" Crystal exclaimed. "That's cool! I've never seen one before! Just read about them! Are we going to study them in Herbology?"  
"Er, I hope so." Neville said, slightly taken aback at the fact that she actually thought his plant was cool.  
"Oh, I just can't wait until the first Herbology lesson!" Crystal beamed. "And the first... everything, really. I'm very exited to be here at Hogwarts!"  
They came to a corridor where there was a painting of a fat lady in a pink dress and before it stood Harry.  
The Fat Lady was saying, "No password, no entrance."  
"Harry, I know it!" Neville beamed. He ran over to Harry and she heard him say "Mimbulus mimbletonia," apparently being the password. The painting swung open and they all climbed through the portrait hole. Crystal departed to the girls' dormitory after thanking Neville. She introduced herself to all the other Gryffindor girls who seemed to accept her, and she went to bed. Apparently, all the other girls thought she was very cool, especially since she had come from America and Avadagard's Witchcraft and Wizardry School. She fell asleep happily thinking about the fun learning experience that was to come.  
  
Okay, well, that's it for now! I hope you liked it! It'll get better as time goes on! I'm busy, but I'll update when I can! Wingardium Leviosa!  
  
Arg! For some reason, the dot dot dot's show up as this: ( !!! No!! See: ... Bah! Well, it's in my nature to use dot dot dot's, so when you see one of these: ( just use your imagination and pretend it's a dot dot dot. Unless it's starting a parentheses phrase thing... oh, bah! 


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, hi, here's another chapter. By the way, I noticed that in chapter one there is no mention of Umbridge giving her little "hem, hem" speech. Well, when Dumbledore is speaking, I just failed to mention Umbridge's interruptions, but they're there! I just didn't write them in! it is implied when it says: "she heard Ron, Harry, and Hermione whispering about something a few times. . ." Also, I don't own anything in Harry Potter and don't have anything to do with it! I am just a fanficker! There are a lot of lines taken right from OotP, but I do not take credit for writing them, so DON'T SUE ME! Enjoy!  
  
The next day, Crystal awoke with a start.  
  
"You're still asleep?!" Parvati cried. "Class starts in thirty minutes!"  
  
"Thirty minutes?!" Crystal exclaimed. "Oh, goodness sakes! Thanks!" With that, she rushed to get ready. She threw on her white dress shirt and pleated skirt (which she thought was infinitely too long), and slung her robes and vest onto her bed. She quickly fixed her hair into pigtails with two strands of hair left down to dangle in her face, which she tucked behind her ears.  
  
"Alright," she sighed, "I can go to class like this, right? No one will really care, I'm sure." Lavender, who was getting something out of her trunk, turned around to look at Crystal.  
  
"No, you can't go to class like that!" Lavender contradicted. "That's strictly against the dress code. Put on the vest and robe!"  
  
"Oh, I'll do it later." Crystal dismissed. Lavender sighed and left the dormitory.  
  
By the time Crystal was finished getting ready, she had only ten minutes until class started. The first class was potions.  
  
"I certainly can't be late!" Crystal thought as she rushed out of the common room and down the marble staircase with her robe and vest draped over her arm and a backpack on her back. On her way down, she came upon Nearly Headless Nick. "Oh, Sir Nicholas, can you direct me to the dungeons please?" And, with that, he showed her down to the dungeons where she made it to Snape's classroom just as Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered it.  
  
"Hi, guys!" she greeted as she caught up to them.  
  
"Oh, hi, Crystal." Hermione greeted. "I didn't see you at breakfast."  
  
"Oh, yeah, I slept in by accident--"  
  
"What are you wearing?!" Hermione interrupted, noticing Crystal's attire.  
  
"The. . .school uniform. . .aren't I?" Crystal replied uncertainly.  
  
"You -- it's -- that's not--"  
  
"Crystal!" Draco called, entering the classroom.  
  
"Oh, hi, Draco." Crystal greeted.  
  
"Come and sit with me, you don't want to be throwing yourself in with this lot." he sneered. He took her arm and directed her towards a front table in the middle of the row.  
  
"Oh, but they're very nice." Harry, Ron, and Hermione heard her say as she left them.  
  
Just then, Snape came in and the door slammed behind him. Everything went silent. He swept to the front of the room and gazed at his class. He then started in on a lecture about O.W.L.'s, and what they were going to do in class today (all of which Crystal listened intently to).  
  
". . .you have an hour and a half. . . Start." he said after explaining about the Draught of Peace that they were to make. He walked toward the other side of the room and stopped at Draco and Crystal's table. "It's nice to see you again, Miss Summers."  
  
"Oh, you too, Professor Snape!" she beamed. "How are you?"  
  
"I. . .was fine." he replied, glaring back at Harry. "By the way, why are you dressed like that?"  
  
"L-like what?" Crystal asked uncertainly and a little frightened.  
  
"You must be in perfect dress code at all times, especially in my class, do you understand that?" Snape lectured.  
  
"Y-yes, sir." Crystal stuttered. "I-I'd forgotten and-and I was a little late on waking up this morning and--"  
  
"No excuses." Snape commanded and began to pace around the classroom.  
  
"G-gosh, it was just a simple mistake. . ." Crystal mumbled.  
  
"You'd do best to get on his good side before slacking off." Draco told her.  
  
"I wasn't slacking!" Crystal retorted, pulling the vest over her head. "I don't have to wear this robe, do I?"  
  
"Yes, you do." Draco replied.  
  
Crystal sighed. "Aw, Mandrake. . ." she muttered, slipping the robe on.  
  
After Crystal had made her Draught of Peace (of which she was unsure was absolutely perfect so far) give off a silver vapor, she heard Snape lecturing someone at the back of the room. She turned around. Snape was looming over Harry, Ron, and Hermione's table and lecturing Harry.  
  
"Potter, what is this supposed to be?" Snape asked, getting all the Slytherin's attention.  
  
"The Draught of Peace." Harry replied.  
  
"Tell me, Potter," Snape began softly, "can you read?"  
  
Draco laughed.  
  
"Draco!" Crystal scolded. "Nothing is funny, stop it." She turned around, pretending she was uninterested. After Snape had fully insulted Harry, pointed out that he had made a mistake, and rejected his potion, he told the class to fill a flagon with their potion and leave it on his desk.  
  
"Homework: twelve inches of parchment on the properties of moonstone and its uses in potion-making, to be handed in on Thursday." Snape said.  
  
"Oh, cool, moonstone!" Crystal exclaimed. "Have you ever seen a moonstone, Draco?"  
  
"I don't think so." he replied.  
  
"Oh, they're very pretty, and very useful!" she said. She got up and set her potion on Snape's desk just as he walked up to it. "I hope this is acceptable. I may have been a pinch off on the hellebore, but other than that, I believe it is fairly good."  
  
Snape stood for a moment and then picked up her potion. "Well, let's take a look." He held it up at eye-level and examined it. "Well, from the way it looks, I'd say. . .that this is excellent."  
  
"Really?" Crystal asked.  
  
"Yes, one of the best I've seen in my fifth year students." Snape said. "It's strange because I've heard that Avadagard's school does not have a very good potions program."  
  
"Oh, well, they don't, really." Crystal added. "I read a lot. I want to learn as much as I can."  
  
"That's good." Snape said. "I think," he started, addressing the class, "that everyone can take a lesson from Miss Summers here. She has made an excellent Draught." She blushed as some of the class turned to look at her. Snape looked at Crystal. "You are not required to do the homework, Miss Summers, for this impressive potion."  
  
"Oh, no, I'll be happy to do the homework." she offered. "I like it. And I can't wait to get into this school's library. I'll bet there are tons of interesting books I can look in to write an essay as acceptable as the potion."  
  
Snape nodded, a little perplexed at the eagerness of her. The bell rang and she grabbed her stuff and headed to the door with Draco.  
  
"I think it's best that you sit with your own house at lunchtime." Draco said to her. "I wish it weren't so, but that's the way things are."  
  
"Oh, well, okay." she agreed.  
  
"I have to talk to Professor Snape, so you go ahead." Draco told her. "I'll see you later."  
  
She bid him farewell and headed out of the dungeon towards the Great Hall. She saw Harry quickly walking a ways in front of her.  
  
"Harry!" she called. He stopped and turned around. She hurried to catch up with him. "Hi. Going to the Great Hall?"  
  
"Yes." he replied, sounding slightly weary.  
  
"Cool, I'm going there too." Crystal added. "So, how are you?"  
  
"Fine." he answered indifferently.  
  
"Oh, yeah, sorry about your potion." she offered. "If you ever need any help, you know, I'll be glad to help you."  
  
"Thanks." Harry replied uncaringly. They sat down at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall and started their lunch. Crystal looked around the hall.  
  
"Ooh, it's raining." she said. "I like the rain."  
  
Harry didn't say anything, he was still a little angry about Snape. Not too soon after this, Ron and Hermione came into the hall and sat down at the table. Crystal cheerfully greeted them. They and Harry complained about Snape while Crystal just sat eating and not drawing any attention to herself.  
  
"I did think he might be a bit better this year. . ." Hermione said, "I mean. . . you know. . ." she lowered her voice. "Now he's in the Order and everything."  
  
"The what?" Crystal asked, finally chiming in.  
  
"Hermione!" Harry and Ron both scolded.  
  
"Oh -- er --" Hermione stuttered, looking for a lie to tell, "the, er, the. . . Er. . ."  
  
"Do you mean the Order of the Phoenix?" Crystal asked. They looked at her confusedly.  
  
"How do you know about the Order?" Harry asked.  
  
"Well, duh, McGonagall is my aunt and she is in the Order." Crystal explained obviously.  
  
"Oh yeah. . ." Ron mumbled.  
  
"So, you guys can totally trust me." she said. "I'm a great secret keeper! You can tell me anything!" They didn't reply. "Why wouldn't you trust me?"  
  
"Well," Hermione hesitated, "you. . .are involved with Malfoy. . ."  
  
"Well, I wouldn't tell him any of this stuff!" Crystal retorted. "If McGonagall trusts me, you should!"  
  
"You know, she has a point, guys." Ron said.  
  
Eventually, they decided to trust her and speak openly around her. She had gotten thoroughly engrossed in a piece of shepherd's pie, when she heard Ron and Hermione arguing. Harry looked very frustrated.  
  
"Oh, shut up, the pair of you!" Harry ordered. "Can't you give it a rest? You're always having a go at each other, it's driving me mad!" and, with that, he got up, grabbed his stuff and stormed off.  
  
"Wow." Crystal mumbled. "He's got quite a temper."  
  
"Yes, we know." Hermione and Ron said simultaneously.  
  
Later, after they'd gone through a class of Divination (which Crystal found fascinating "if only it worked," she said), they'd made their way to Defense Against the Dark Arts and chosen their seats.  
  
Professor Umbridge gave a long introduction to her class and then instructed them to begin reading out of their copies of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard. Crystal obeyed and opened her book and began reading intently. There seemed to be some sort of argument going on, but Crystal was determined to stay focused on her book. After all, she was used to yelling. . .  
  
"Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourselves?" Umbridge simpered. This caught Crystal's attention because she was very staunch in her beliefs that she was not a child.  
  
"Hmm, let's think. . ." Harry began sarcastically, "maybe Lord Voldemort?"  
  
There was a bit of commotion at the sound of the name, but Crystal didn't even flinch.  
  
"Ten points from Gryffindor, Mr. Potter." Umbridge ordered. Crystal sighed and went back to her book.  
  
A few moments later:  
  
"As I was saying, you have been informed that a certain Dark wizard is at large once again. This is a lie." Umbridge said angrily.  
  
"It is NOT a lie!" Harry retorted. "I saw him, I fought him!"  
  
"Detention, Mr. Potter!" Umbridge commanded.  
  
"P-professor Umbridge?" Crystal hesitated.  
  
"Yes, what is it?" Umbridge asked impatiently. "And who are you?"  
  
"C-Crystal S-Summers, ma'am, and I, er, don't think it's entirely fair for- for you to give Harry detention like that. . ." Crystal stuttered. Hermione sighed in defeat and Ron feared Crystal's fate.  
  
"Oh, you don't, do you, Miss Summers?" Umbridge asked.  
  
"N-no, I. . .agree with Harry. . ." she said.  
  
"Well, then, you can join him in detention." she said. "Tomorrow evening. Five o' clock. My office."  
  
"W-wait! I-I didn't--" Crystal stuttered, "I have a p-perfect record! You -- I--"  
  
"Well, then, it seems about time someone put you into place." Umbridge simpered. Crystal looked as if she were about to cry, and Umbridge looked like she was enjoying it. She went back to her book, her eyes turning red. She noticed that Harry got sent to McGonagall's office, but she dared not move from her spot, determined to stay on her best behavior.  
  
The rest of the day, and all of the next, Crystal stayed on the down- low, feeling guilty that she had ever spoken at all in the class. She was on her way to detention when she ran into McGonagall and spoke with her for a while. Noticing that she might be late for detention, she bid McGonagall farewell and rushed off to Umbridge's office. She got there just as Harry sat down.  
  
"You're late." Umbridge said to Crystal.  
  
"Sorry!" Crystal offered, sitting down next to Harry. "I was talking to Professor McGonagall and then I -- got lost."  
  
Umbridge sighed impatiently. "I want you both to do lines for me." they started to get out their quills. "Oh, no, not with your quills. You're going to be using rather special ones of mine." she handed them both a long, thin black quill with a very sharp point. "I want you, Mr. Potter to write 'I must not tell lies,' and you, Miss Summers, 'I must not disturb the class.'"  
  
"How many times?" Harry asked, faking polite.  
  
"Oh, as long as it takes for the message to sink in." Umbridge replied sweetly. "Off you go."  
  
Harry then pointed out what Crystal was thinking:  
  
"You haven't given us any ink."  
  
"Oh, you won't need ink." she replied.  
  
Crystal looked down at her paper and began to write just as Harry did. Harry gasped in pain, and Crystal cried out and dropped the quill. The words they had written were etched into the backs of their hands and the writing on the paper was in their blood.  
  
"Yes?" Umbridge asked.  
  
"Nothing." Harry dismissed, but Crystal stood up.  
  
"The quill -- it --"  
  
"Yes, it does that." Umbridge said obviously.  
  
"But, you see, I-I have sensitive skin and do not want any scars--"  
  
"This is detention, Miss Summers, you will do as you're told." Umbridge ordered.  
  
"I can't afford to lose blood." Crystal explained. "I'm a little anemic. I need all the blood I can get, you see."  
  
"Well, perhaps if you didn't disturb the class, you wouldn't have had to deal with this."  
  
"But -- I can't do this." Crystal said. "I'm not trying to get out of detention, I just can't do this. I could do anything else."  
  
"This is what you'll do." Umbridge said.  
  
"I cannot." Crystal stated. Harry looked up. "Let me do something for Mr. Filch, then, no one seems to like doing that."  
  
Umbridge sighed impatiently. "Fine. Just shut up with your whining and get out of my office. I will inform Mr. Filch that you will be aiding him for as long as I say so."  
  
And Crystal left, rubbing her hand, which was healed, but still hurt. She made her way up to Gryffindor Tower, and up to the girls' dormitories. She sat down on her bed and began to work on her essay for Snape's class.  
  
Alrighty! Done! Hope you liked it! I shall be updating when I can! Huzzah! "I'LL BE BACK!" 


	3. Chapter 3

Hey, everyone! Finally! I am back! With another chapter! This isn't the MOST exiting of all the chapters... but... bear with me! Love you all! Enjoy!  
  
The next day, Crystal woke up early and recorded her dream in her dream diary for Divination. She had dreamt about being expelled for what she had said and she recorded the dream shakily. She'd never gotten in trouble before and she didn't expect to get in trouble because of voicing her opinions.  
'Is every teacher in England like this?' she thought as she got ready for class. 'No, just that old bat Umbridge. I used to like Defense Against the Dark Arts... I should complain to Dumbledore. Yes, that's what I'll do. I won't be treated that way for something I didn't even do!'  
She had decided. She went down to the Great Hall and spotted Dumbledore eating breakfast and chatting with McGonagall at the staff table. She marched up to the table, determined to speak her mind, but kept her cheery, polite tone.  
"Professor Dumbledore, good morning." she greeted.  
"Good morning, Crystal." he greeted  
"Hey, Minerva!" she said, but remembered that McGonagall was to be treated with respect since she was her teacher now. "I mean, hey, Professor McGonagall."  
"Hello, Crystal." McGonagall replied, rather annoyed.  
Crystal glanced up and down the table, scanning for any sign of Umbridge. "Professor Dumbledore, I must speak with you immediately."  
"Oh?" he asked, rather surprised. "What's troubling you?"  
Crystal took a deep breath and began to explain. "You see, Professor, at my old school, my favorite subject was Defense Against the Dark Arts and... well... I was wondering if I could get another teacher."  
Dumbledore paused. "Crystal, I am afraid there is only one Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."  
"One?!" Crystal asked incredulously. "Oh, yeah, England... different... But... Umbr -- Professor Umbridge gave me detention. For simply stating my opinion! I didn't disrupt class or anything! I just said my thoughts."  
"Oh, yes, Potter told me that you'd gotten in trouble as well." McGonagall said. "You said you agreed with him, didn't you?" Crystal nodded. McGonagall lowered her voice. "Look, I'll tell you what I told Potter. Umbridge is from the Ministry of Magic and we know she is reporting to them. Do not stir up anything in her class. Just let it all go. Tread carefully around Dolores Umbridge."  
Crystal paused, thinking. She sighed. "I suppose you're right. Pardon my misbehavior. I shouldn't have bothered you. I will go and apologize to her immediately." she said wearily. "Good day, Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall."  
"Good day, Crystal." they bid her.  
She walked off and headed up for Umbridge's office. She knocked cautiously.  
"Come in!" Umbridge simpered. Crystal poked her head in. "Oh, it's you." she said, her voice going flat now that she saw that she did not have to use manners to this student. She returned to marking papers. Crystal slowly entered.  
"Good morning, Professor Umbridge." Crystal greeted. "Er, I would like to say that I am terribly sorry for the way I have acted. I had no right to speak up and tell things that shouldn't be said. You had every right and reason to give me detention and I apologize for my actions."  
Umbridge considered this for a moment. Her lip curled. "Sucking up will not get you anywhere, Miss Summers. You still have detention."  
"I'm not trying to deny that, Professor." Crystal said sincerely. "I just want to apologize and assure you that I will not act out in such a way ever again. I offer my apologies."  
"I don't know what you think you can get by trying to get on my good side, but I assure you that it will do you no good." Umbridge told her.  
"I am not trying to get anything, Professor, I merely offer my apologies." Crystal said.  
"Honestly, who talks like that? 'Offer my apologies,' please!" Umbridge snorted. "I show no partiality in my teaching, Miss Summers, and sucking up will do you no good."  
"Professor, I am not sucking up." Crystal told her.  
"Good day, Miss Summers." Umbridge said bitterly and went back to her papers.  
"Good day, Professor." Crystal said, and she left the office.  
She went back up to the Common Room, her appetite gone.  
"Mimbulus Mimbletonia." she said politely to the Fat Lady and the portrait swung open. She clambered through the portrait hole and slumped down on the couch next to Harry, who was busy making up dreams for his Divination dream diary.  
"Hi, Harry." she said dispiritedly. Harry looked up to see who was addressing him -- it didn't sound like Crystal.  
"Hey, Crystal." he said, wondering what was wrong.  
She glanced over at Ron, who was busying himself with the same assignment as Harry.  
"Hey, Ron." she greeted just as wearily as she had greeted Harry. Ron looked up as well, not really recognizing the voice.  
"Oh, hi, Crystal." he greeted, primping his hair a little.  
Harry finished his dream diary (in which he had written complete rubbish) and looked at Crystal. "What's wrong?" he asked.  
"Well," she hesitated, "I-I complained to Dumbledore about Umbridge and... nothing came of it... She's the only Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?! I can't believe that!"  
"Wh-what did you tell him?" Harry asked, worried.  
"Just that I wanted another teacher." she said. Harry sighed in relief. "And then, I, being the polite girl I am, went and apologized to Professor Toad-Face herself, and she lectured me about sucking up! Me!!"  
"Well, that's Umbridge." Harry told her.  
"Yeah, that's just her in her nature." Ron said. "Old hag doesn't have anything better to do than pick on nice girls." His face turned slightly red when he finished his sentence. "Don't sweat it, that's just what she does."  
She smiled.  
"Well," Harry said, shutting his dream diary, "that'll have to do. I've said I dreamed I was buying a new pair of shoes, she can't make anything weird out of that, can she?"  
Crystal laughed. "Well, I don't know. Maybe your feet are going to get chomped off by a dragon when you go to get a new pair of shoes!" she joked.  
Harry smiled. This girl had a sense of humor.  
They suddenly realized the time and rushed off to the North Tower. Harry and Ron talked about Umbridge's detention sessions and Crystal listened. She noticed that Harry did not point out the fact that she didn't just assign him lines, the quills make you write in your own blood. She realized he probably had some testosterone/pride thing going on in his head, so she did not speak up.  
"What did Umbridge sentence you, Crystal?" Ron asked.  
"Er, helping Mr. Filch." she replied.  
"Oh, rotten luck." Ron groaned. "How many times have I had to scrub the school trophies or clean out the bedpans in the Hospital Wing without using magic?!"  
"Well, I'm used to that." she said simply.  
"Whaddo you mean?" Harry asked, confused. He thought she said that she had a perfect record...  
"Well, my parents used to make me clean all the time." she replied casually, as if it were a perfectly normal thing.  
"Why?" Ron asked incredulously.  
"Because they don't use magic." she told them simply. "They're Muggles."  
Harry's and Ron's mouths dropped open.  
"You're Muggle-born?!" Harry asked. "And you're dating Malfoy?!"  
"Y-yeah..." she replied, oblivious to the circumstances.  
"Does he know?" Harry asked.  
"No." she said. "Does it matter?"  
"Does it matter?!" Harry asked in amazement. "If you knew--"  
But just then, they arrived at class and no more was said on the subject.  
The day was full of work, but Crystal didn't care -- she loved it. Homework in Transfiguration, Care of Magical Creatures, and Astronomy. She went up to the common room to get some notes for her classes so she could study while she ate dinner. By the time she got back down to the Great Hall, Angelina had just finished yelling at Harry who yelled back:  
"I'm in detention! D'you think I'd rather be stuck in a room with that old toad or playing Quidditch?!"  
Crystal sat down next to Harry and greeted everyone; they greeted her.  
"At least it's only lines, Harry," Hermione said to him. "It's not as if it's a dreadful punishment, really..."  
It looked as though Harry was about to say something but stopped himself. Ron broke the silence by complaining about homework.  
"I can't believe how much homework we've got." said Ron miserably.  
"Well, why didn't you do it last night?" Hermione asked. "Where were you, anyway?"  
"I was... I fancied a walk." Ron replied hesitantly.  
  
The next few days passed slowly, stress and homework building up on them. One night, Crystal had been doing detention with Filch, and was on her way back to the Gryffindor common room, when she heard Harry and Ron talking at the top of the staircase.  
"I wish I was going to be there." Harry said bitterly.  
"Be where?" Crystal asked, rounding a corner and startling them.  
"Crystal!" Ron exclaimed, startled. "Where'd you come from?!"  
"Detention." she replied cheerfully. "With Mr. Filch, remember?"  
"Oh, yeah." Ron recalled. "What did he make you do?"  
"Scrub the school trophies." she replied just as happily. "I learned quite a lot of history from it." They raised an eyebrow -- who enjoys scrubbing trophies... with no magic?! "Say, Ron, why do you have your broomstick?" she asked. "Were you practicing Quidditch?"  
"No, he thought he'd sweep the seventh floor for Filch out of the kindness of his heart." Harry mumbled sarcastically.  
Crystal laughed. "Shut up. I was just wondering! You never know!" He laughed. She could take a joke -- rare.  
"Are you trying out for the team, Ron?" she asked.  
"Yeah, Keeper." he replied.  
"Awesome." she said. "I'm so lucky because Mr. Filch is going to be busy on Friday, so I get to make up the detention another time! Meaning that I can try out for the team!"  
"Oh." Ron said; just what he needed, another distraction at the tryouts.  
"You nervous?" she asked.  
"Yeah... kind of..." he replied, turning red.  
"Don't be." she told him. "You'll do great. Just don't think about it." He smiled.  
"Hey, Harry..." Ron began, looking at Harry's hand, "what's that on the back of your hand?"  
"It's just a cut -- it's nothing -- it's--"  
Ron grabbed Harry's forearm and examined his hand. He released him, looking sick.  
"I thought you said she was giving you lines?"  
Crystal gasped as she saw Harry's hand. She grabbed it and examined it. "Oh, no! Your poor hand! You're still putting up with this?!"  
"Wh-what?" Ron chimed in, completely lost.  
Crystal released Harry's hand and Harry explained all about the real detention experiences and the evil scalpel-like quill.  
"The old hag!" Ron exclaimed in a whisper as they approached the Fat Lady. "She's sick! Go to McGonagall, say something!"  
"No." Harry replied abruptly. "I'm not giving her the satisfaction of knowing she's got to me."  
"Got to you? You can't let her get away with this!"  
"I don't know how much power McGonagall's got over her."  
"Dumbledore, then, tell Dumbledore!" Ron implored.  
"No." Harry said flatly.  
"Why not?" Ron asked.  
"He's got enough on his mind." Harry said.  
"Yeah, but... that's student abuse!" Crystal told him. "You can't just let her tear up your hand like that!"  
"Are you going to give me the password or will I have to stay awake all night waiting for you to finish your conversation?" the Fat Lady asked, annoyed. Crystal apologized and gave the password. She parted from Ron and Harry in the common room and went upstairs to the girls' dormitory and went to bed.  
  
Huzzah! Hope you liked the chapter! I've been having a bit of writer's block as of late... Also, the story will get better! It's a little boring now, but it'll pick up! Anyway, leave a nice review for me, okay? Thanks! Something wicked this way comes... Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban .::June 4th::. 


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